Banning the face veil worn by Muslim women would be tantamount to a violation of individual freedoms, according to the head of the Muslim community.
Imam Mohammad Elsadi said yesterday the political controversy over suggestions to ban the face veil concerned only three Maltese Muslim women.
“We know that the current discussion does not target Islam and is not motivated by a hostile attitude against it but surely it concerns Islam and the Muslims because only the Muslim female wears the face veil,” he said.
The Imam insisted prohibition of the veil would be of no true benefit to society and argued that just as women in a secular society were free to decide what to wear so should Muslim women.
He added the Muslim community was concerned about the unfolding debate and appealed to the political establishment to keep things as they were. Referring to the legal advice given by the Attorney General in 2013, which stated that the law did not prohibit the burqa, the Imam said Muslim women had for several years worn the face veil and led a normal life.
Their Islamic dress did not cause any threat to public security
“They have enjoyed and contributed to cultural diversity and truly enjoyed the freedom guaranteed by the Maltese Constitution. Their Islamic dress did not cause any threat to public security,” he said. Whenever the women were required to identify themselves by security personnel, they readily complied and removed the face veil, he added.
The Imam took umbrage at depictions of the face veil as a symbol of women’s oppression, saying this was a huge insult to Islam. He said most women wore the veil freely and with pride. “The face veil is not a mask and its scope is not to disguise. Rather, it is a gesture of piety and modesty.”
The debate was initiated last August when shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi called for the burqa to be banned after witnessing a woman wearing a face veil driving a car in Paola.
The debate was rekindled earlier this month when Civil Rights Minister Helena Dalli expressed her preference in favour of a ban in public places.